CALGARY Zone NEWS Zone Your HealtH Care in Your CommunitY 2014 APRIL whe“N I ... cAN’t be heRe, I kNow soMeoNe Is wIth hIM, sNuggLINg hIM ANd gIVINg hIM coMfoRt ANd LoVe – Shauna Meyerson A soft touch New mom shauna Meyerson cherishes her two-month-old son, Noah, as south health campus volunteer Jacquie Verhappen cradles the little one’s head. Verhappen is one of 21 baby cuddlers in the neonatal intensive care unit, offering the comfort and warmth of hugs to the Photo by Paul Rotzinger | hospital’s tiniest patients. PAGE 3 nEw clinic Puts toxins wEiGhinG in on wEiGht in thEir PlAcE And PrEGnAncy After being treated in hospital for carbon monoxide You may be eating for two, but too much weight could poisoning, truck driver frank korencik still had worries have long-term health effects for both you and your about his health. but he was able to meet with a baby. A new study is looking at weight gain during toxicologist at a new clinic operated by the pregnancy in the hopes it can guide Poison and drug Information service. PAGE 4 women to make healthier choices. PAGE 6 Immunization. Information. Prevention. A visit to an AHS Travel Health Clinic is a prescription for healthy vacationing. Book your appointment today. Calgary - 403.955.6777 Edmonton - 780.735.0100 Alberta - 1.866.408.5465(LINK) PAGE 2 l o C a l l e a d e r s steM ceLLs offeR New hoPe Story and photo by Colin Zak | lex Petric’s life changed forever last to support those which have survived,” says March. the 29-year-old fractured his dr. steven casha, an Alberta health services DR. fRancois belangeR loRi anDeRson spinal cord in a diving accident while on neurosurgeon and assistant professor at the calgary Zone executive leadership team A vacation in Panama. university of calgary, who is leading the study in “I dove into the water and hit a sandbar. calgary. “It is possible, theoretically, to completely HerE’s your tickEt I was paralyzed immediately from the waist restore a normal spinal cord. however, the to A Great triP down,” says Petric, who previously worked as a technology is still in its early stages.” paramedic in winnipeg. Most patients with spinal cord injuries ith spring in full swing, people Now, a new study transplanting neural stem would have had their spinal cord exposed at start thinking about vacation cells into patients with spinal cord injuries could the time of their injury, explains casha. the wplanning. offer hope to Petric and patients like him. the procedure involves re-exposing the spinal cord, one of the most important things to study looks at whether it is safe to inject stem determining the location of the injury, and making consider when going on a trip is getting cells into patients’ spinal cords, and could lead four injections of stem cells: two injections the proper vaccinations. to more studies as to whether the treatment approximately a centimetre above the injury, and even though your children are could improve sensory and motor function. two a centimetre below. vaccinated in school, many children will Petric was the first patient in North America seven patients have already undergone the not receive the vaccinations necessary to to participate in the study and underwent the procedure in switzerland. protect them from diseases found in other procedure in January at foothills Medical centre. “what we know so far is that two of the first countries. standards of hygiene vary “I had everything to gain and nothing to lose,” three patients had an improvement in sensory around the world, and many diseases he says. function,” casha says. “It’s encouraging. this is found in other locations do not exist in the procedure uses neural stem cells – cells something to build on.” however, casha says the benefit of the canada. committed to becoming neural tissue – that are derived from donated fetal brain tissue. the brain procedure for patients remains unknown. Vaccinations help prevent some of the cells are harvested, grown, frozen and prepared he says the injections probably provide new diseases you and your family can be for injection by the u.s. firm stemcell Inc. nerve cells and large insulating cells around the exposed to while on your trip. “the aim of stem cells, and other technologies existing nerves, but this does not guarantee that In the calgary Zone, there are special like it, is regeneration. Patients with spinal cord those will make functional connections with a clinics for vaccinations for those travelling injuries have lost part of their spinal cord and patient’s existing spinal cord. internationally. In rural areas, travel some of the supporting structures that allow while Petric was pleased to participate in the immunizations are available through it to function. Regenerative strategies want to research trial, he is cautiously optimistic. your local public health office. travellers’ replace what’s been lost, in term of neurons or “hope is a good thing – it helps you hold on to health services in the calgary Zone nerve cells and supporting cells, what’s possible,” he says. “At the same time, I deliver comprehensive travel health and provide healthy cells also need to accept the life I have now.” n care, including health advice, disease prevention measures, and recommended, required, and routine immunizations. health care professionals at the travel clinic or public health office will let you know what vaccinations you need based on where you are travelling, or the activities in which you and your family will be participating. You should plan to visit the travel clinic at least six to eight weeks before travelling to allow time for the vaccines to take effect. Planning for your trip will reduce the risk of the hazards and potential illnesses that are present in a foreign country. taking preventative steps before you travel increases the chance you and your family will have a wonderful vacation together. for travel clinic locations, please visit www.albertahealthservices.ca/ AHS neurosurgeon Dr. Steven Casha meets with Alex Petric, who was paralyzed from the waist services.asp?pid=service&rid=7568. n down following a diving accident last year. Casha and Petric are involved in an international study to see if damaged spinal cords can be treated with injected stem cells. Do you know someone with a passion for health? Apple magazine’s new column, A Passion for Health, celebrates inspiring Albertans who are improving the health and well-being of people in their communities. Nominate or vote for someone you’d like to read about in our next issue by emailing [email protected] or calling 403-943-0052. be healthy | be well | be informed applemag.ca www.albertahealthservices.ca There are plenty of health care options available. Learn yours by visiting the AHS website. i n Y o u r z o n e PAGE 3 It’s a program that’s been welcomed with, well, open arms. In the New mom Shauna Meyerson holds South Health Campus NICU, baby cuddlers are giving comfort her baby, Noah, and joy to the hospital’s tiniest and most vulnerable patients beside nurse A heALINg Jackie McGinn. touch Story by Janet Mezzarobba | Photos by Paul Rotzinger | acquie Verhappen is a cuddler, and proud of it. J As one of the 21 volunteer baby cuddlers in the neonatal intensive care unit (NIcu) at the south health campus, the cuddler program offers touch, hugs, and comfort to newborns in the NIcu when parents are unable to be there. “coming to do my volunteer job gives me a sense of peace, hope and love,” says Verhappen. “I look down at these sweet babies’ faces and wonder who they will be, and what they will accomplish.” the cuddler program, active in calgary hospitals for more than 25 years, provides proven benefits to premature him comfort and love. I can see he’s calmer cuddler does one, three-hour shift a week. or unstable newborns on their and more responsive when he’s been held and cuddler training involves classroom learning, Verhappen path to health and wellness. cuddled. I’m so thankful for these volunteers and one-on-one time with educators, and hands-on “babies need as much human contact as this program.” experience before they are even permitted on the possible,” says Jackie Mcginn, NIcu nurse And Mcginn concurs. NIcu unit. clinician and a trainer within the volunteer “the cuddlers are here when parents can’t “this is one of the most coveted volunteer cuddler program. “babies who are held more be. sometimes parents have other children at positions in the hospital, but we need to ensure often grow faster, build trusting relationships with home, or need to go to work, and we are here to we get the right volunteers who are best for the others, have better cognitive development, and provide comfort for the babies and the families role,” says Mcginn. “It’s important that cuddlers are more likely to meet their social milestones,” when that happens.” know how to read a baby’s behaviour so they she says. “human contact enhances every the cuddlers also provide benefits to staff can understand both what a baby wants and aspect of a premature infant’s development.” within the NIcu. needs, and what to do to accommodate this.” Mom shauna Meyerson knows the benefits “one of the biggest bonuses on top of the but for Verhappen, it’s more than just a job. of baby cuddlers first-hand. her first child, son benefits these cuddlers provide to the babies she says volunteering has enhanced her life.